When we found him,he was a sorry sight.His clothes were torn,his hands bleeding.Before we reached him,we saw him fall.He lay a moment Then he pulled himself to his feet,walked unsteadily a few yards through the woods and fell again.
After we got him out,we went back to find the gun that he had thrown down His tracks showed that for two days he had circled in the forest,within 200 yards of the road His senses were so dulled by fear and tiredness that he did not hear the cars going by or see the lights at night.
We found him just in time.
This man,like others before him,had simply been frightened when he knew he was lost What had been a near disaster might have turned out as only a pleasant walk,if he had made a few preparations before he stepped from the highway or off a known path.
Whatever sense of direction that a man may have,it's still largely a question of observation.A skilled woodsman always keeps an eye on his surroundings.He notes the shape of a mountain,the direction water flows through a swamp,and the way a tree leans across a path.With these in mind,he is still likely to turn around many times.but he is seldom lost.
There are exceptions.of course,and once in a while a man does come across some strange problem that puts him into the“lost”situation.A rainstorm or sudden blizzard may catch him without a compass(指南针)in his Darkness.Darkness may find him in a rough area,where travel is dangerous without a light.
When this happens,the normal first reaction(反应)is the fear of being laughed at as a result of his poor knowledge in the woods.He may also be concerned about the inconvenience that he will cause his friends when he doesn't show up.This false pride may lead him to keep on the move in a false effort to find his way against all difficulties.
The person who thinks ahead is seldom in great danger.He'll be safe if he observes carefully, thinks ahead,and remains calm.
(1)
The writer suggested that if the marl had not been found,he would have ________.
[ ]
A.
been shot by a gun
B.
become confused
C.
been attacked by wild animals
D.
been in great danger
(2)
According to the text,if a person gets lost in the forest,at the very beginning,he would ________.
[ ]
A.
worry about being laughed at
B.
push himself to find his way out
C.
feel it is convenient to ask for help from his friends
D.
feel sorry that he didn't study hard enough
(3)
When a person tries to find his way in the woods, _______ is the most important.
[ ]
A.
intelligence
B.
observation
C.
direction
D.
chance
(4)
The writer tells the story of the lost man as an example of people who ________.
She took up skating at age 85, made her first movie appearance at age 114, and held a concert in the neighborhood on her 121st birthday.
Whe n it comes to long life, Jeanne Calment is the world’s recordholder.She lived to the ripe old age of 122.So is 122 the upper limit to the human life span(寿命)?If scientists come up with some sort of pill or diet that would slow aging, could we possibly make it to 150-or beyond?
Researchers don’t entirely agree on the answers.“Calment lived to 122, so it wouldn’t surprise me if someone alive today reaches 130 or 135,”says Jerry Shay at the University of Texas.
Steve Austad at the University of Texas agrees.“People can live much longer than we think,”he says.“Experts used to say that humans couldn’t live past 110.When Calment blew past that age, they raised the number to 120.So why can’t we go higher?”
The trouble with guessing how old people can live to be is that it’s all just guessing.“Anyone can make up a number,”says Rich Miller at the University of Michigan.“Usually the scientist who picks the highest number gets his name in Time magazine.”
Won’t new anti-aging techniques keep us alive for centuries?Any cure, says Miller, for aging would probably keep most of us kicking until about 120.Researchers are working on treatments that lengthen the life span of mice by 50 percent at most.So, if the average human life span is about 80 years, says Miller,“adding another 50 percent would get you to 120.”
So what can we conclude from this little disagreement among the researchers?That life span is flexible(有弹性的),but there is a limit, says George Martin of the University of Washington.“We can get flies to live 50 percent longer,”he says.“But a fly’s never going to live 150 years.”
“Of course, if you became a new species(物种),one that ages at a slower speed, that would be a different story,”he adds.
Does Martin really believe that humans could evolve(进化)their way to longer life?“It’s pretty cool to think about it,”he says with a smile.
(1)
What does the story of Jeanne Calment prove to us?
[ ]
A.
People can live to 122.
B.
Old people are creative.
C.
Women are sporty at 85.
D.
Women live longer than men.
(2)
According to Steve Austad at the University of Texas, ________.
[ ]
A.
the average human life span could be 110
B.
scientists cannot find ways to slow aging
C.
few people can expect to live to over 150
D.
researchers are not sure how long people can live
(3)
Who would agree that a scientist will become famous if he makes the wildest guess at longevity?
[ ]
A.
Jerry Shay.
B.
Steve Austad
C.
Rich Miller
D.
George Martin
(4)
What can we infer from the last three paragraphs?
[ ]
A.
Most of us could be good at sports even at 120.
B.
The average human life span cannot be doubled.
C.
Scientists believe mice are aging at a slower speed than before.
D.
New techniques could be used to change flies into a new species.